Billy Hurley III wins Quicken Loans National

Billy Hurley III won the Quicken Loans National by three shots from veteran Vijay Singh. It was Hurley’s first PGA Tour title and he secured it in his hometown event.

With three-time Major champion Vijay Singh closing in during the final round, Billy Hurley III held his nerve to claim his first PGA Tour victory.

When Hurley three-putted for a bogey on the 12th, it looked as though he may stumble down the stretch. But he steadied himself with a good par save on the 13th.

The American then holed out from the fairway on the 15th and made a long birdie putt on the 16th to keep his nose in front of 53-year-old Singh, who closed with a 65.

"When the ball disappeared on 15, it took me by surprise," Hurley said. "That's probably the most emotion I've ever shown in my life.”

3 Talking points from the Quicken Loans National

1 – Billy Hurley III came into this event ranked 607th on the Official World Golf Ranking. With this win he has secured his immediate future on the PGA Tour. Hurley lives in nearby Annapolis and he graduated from the Naval Academy there just 12 years ago.

"Just being a part of the event on the PGA Tour that does the most to honour our military here at Quicken Loans National, I just couldn't script a better one for me to win my first Tour win," he said.

2 – 53-year-old Vijay Singh came up just short of victory – he would have been the oldest player ever to win a PGA Tour event. After closing with a 65, the Fijian took the positives from the performance.

"I played well," Singh said. "I take nothing away, I hit the ball great all week and today was the best I've hit it and made some putts so it made it easier. I feel as strong as I did when I was playing well five, six years ago.”

Another veteran, Ernie Els, had a chance to win but he fell back during the final round and closed with a 72 to finish tied fifth.

Ernie Els swing sequence:

3 – John Rahm of Spain made a superb debut as a professional. The 21-year-old closed with a pair of 70s to finish in a tie for third with Bill Haas. In addition to picking up a cheque for $400,000, the Spaniard also earned a start in The Open Championship at Royal Troon. He had been exempt for the event as winner of the Mark McCormack award as an amateur but had foregone that exemption by turning professional.

"I really wanted to play at Troon and I knew I had the exemption as an amateur but I gave it up to get my PGA Tour career started," Rahm said. "I'm just so happy I played good today and I got my spot at Troon."

The other players earning a place at Royal Troon were Billy Hurley III, Vijay Singh and Harond Varner III.

Quicken Loans National Congressional CC, Bethesda, Maryland June 23-26 Purse $6,900,000, par 71

1    Billy Hurley III (USA)    66    65    67    69    267    $1,242,000 2    Vijay Singh (Fij)        68    66    71    65    270    $745,200 T3    Bill Haas (USA)        66    69    68    68    271    $400,200 T3    John Rahm (Esp)        64    67    70    70    271    $400,200 5    Ernie Els (RSA)        66    69    65    72    272    $276,000 6    Webb Simpson (USA)    67    68    68    71    274    $248,400 7    Harold Varner III (USA) 66    69    70    70    275    $231,150 T8    Robert Garrigus (USA)    67    69    70    70    276    $207,000 T8    Francesco Molinari (Ita)    69    73    69    65    276    $207,000

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage